(May 8, 2022 at 8:45 pm)Fireball Wrote:

(May 8, 2022 at 2:13 pm)h311inac311 Wrote: Well it is the most read, widely distributed and sold book of all time. But I'm sure you'll just chalk that up to some form of highly contagious and delusional form of psychopathy, as atheists tend to do.

No, it has to do with the chokehold the RCC held on nearly everything back in those days, preying on the intentionally uneducated populace for fun and profit.

All the intellectuals of the day supported Roman Catholicism; that's why the Church behaved the way it did. The Church, then and now, follows the lead of its (her) theologians.

Quote:Why are so many willing to die for this Christ fellow and not other false, dead gods such as Zeus, Thor or Ra?

1. Most early Maytr stories were invented and we have little evidence for the fate of the Apostles. So who died for Christ?

2. Most of those religions don't hold martyrdom as a virtue. Your imposing Christain standards of devotion on other religions

Quote:It doesn't have to be divine to be popular, but perhaps there's something about this book that draws so many people to it. If I'm not mistaken the Tao Te Ching is the second most translated and widely distributed book of all time. I've listened to it a few times and I find that it speaks to a natural and spiritual truth that resonates within myself. So even if the Bible were the 3rd or 4th most distributed book (minus all the mass-production from wealthy catholics and churches) odds are there is something about it that draws so many to it with such devotion.

Nope none of this follows

(May 8, 2022 at 6:55 pm)brewer Wrote:

(May 8, 2022 at 2:13 pm)h311inac311 Wrote: Well it is the most read, widely distributed and sold book of all time. But I'm sure you'll just chalk that up to some form of highly contagious and delusional form of psychopathy, as atheists tend to do.

Appealing to the masses, great.

At one time the masses thought the world was flat.

And don't forget his vile ad hom against atheists.

(May 6, 2022 at 4:23 pm)Ad Astra Wrote: Often God will speak to me in words I haven’t heard before. In my opinion, this means it’s God’s voice. How else could an unknown word entered the prayer discussion?

If Yahweh is omniscient, he knows what words you understand, odd that he would choose ones you don't. What is it about demons that keep them from using words you don't know?

(May 8, 2022 at 2:13 pm)h311inac311 Wrote: Well it is the most read, widely distributed and sold book of all time. But I'm sure you'll just chalk that up to some form of highly contagious and delusional form of psychopathy, as atheists tend to do.

McDonalds has sold over 3 billion burgers...apparently it's pretty popular but not many would say they are good for you.

You are assuming shit about your holy book, as some theists tend to do.

(May 9, 2022 at 1:16 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote:

(May 6, 2022 at 4:23 pm)Ad Astra Wrote: Often God will speak to me in words I haven’t heard before. In my opinion, this means it’s God’s voice. How else could an unknown word entered the prayer discussion?

If Yahweh is omniscient, he knows what words you understand, odd that he would choose ones you don't. What is it about demons that keep them from using words you don't know?

Please do not appeal to reason; they have an answer for everything, and, if not, they'll assign it to "heavenly mystery". For them, it's all an answer in search of questions. Scholasticism is dead, except for evangelical Christian schools.

(May 7, 2022 at 8:09 am)onlinebiker Wrote:

(May 7, 2022 at 6:59 am)Gwaithmir Wrote: After reading 2+ pages of this discussion, I have a strong suspicion that we are being pranked. 

I have theorized that was the original intention of religion was simply a prank. It just got out of hand.

"I didn't think the simple fucks would actually BELIEVE me"......

Indeed it did get out of hand. 8,000 years and several hundred million deaths by human sacrifices, pogroms, and religious wars later, it's all shits and giggles until they start coming after you.

Well Ray Croc is an excellent business man, that's obviously why his business model that hires teenagers to sell you a cheap burger is so successful. Same goes for most stories which have stood the test of time and permeated all cultures. There are very few things which are massively popular or successful which, at least at the outset, weren't based on something great.
         
     Evil only knows how to kill steal and destroy that which righteousness creates. We're seeing this now in Hollywood as it is endlessly remaking and retelling old stories which resonated with millions across the world. Only now these stories have mary-sue type women who are handed everything (Mulan, Rey) because Hollywood is trying to appeal to a new kind of feminist virtue which insists that women are special for existing, rather than that they are special for overcoming difficulty (or sexism in the case of Mulan). The result is bad stories which teach no good morals, a fireworks show at best that is here today and forgotten tomorrow.

It takes great virtue to establish a great empire, and no matter how much wealth you amass you are typically only 3 generations from wasting the entire family's fortune.

(May 10, 2022 at 5:59 am)h311inac311 Wrote: Well Ray Croc is an excellent business man, that's obviously why his business model that hires teenagers to sell you a cheap burger is so successful. Same goes for most stories which have stood the test of time and permeated all cultures. There are very few things which are massively popular or successful which, at least at the outset, weren't based on something great.

If you're comparing the value of organized religion to a hamburger, I won't dispute it.

Quote:Evil only knows how to kill steal and destroy that which righteousness creates. 

Actually, evil is better at exploiting righteousness than destroying it.

Quote:We're seeing this now in Hollywood as it is endlessly remaking and retelling old stories which resonated with millions across the world. Only now these stories have mary-sue type women who are handed everything (Mulan, Rey) because Hollywood is trying to appeal to a new kind of feminist virtue which insists that women are special for existing, rather than that they are special for overcoming difficulty (or sexism in the case of Mulan). The result is bad stories which teach no good morals, a fireworks show at best that is here today and forgotten tomorrow.

You hate fictional women as well as real women. Got it.

Quote:It takes great virtue to establish a great empire, and no matter how much wealth you amass you are typically only 3 generations from wasting the entire family's fortune.

The establishment of an empire has never, ever required virtue. It requires just the opposite - a lust for stuff owned by other people and a willingness to do whatever is required to get your mitts on it (a callous disregard for human life helps a lot).

Boru